Gas control for autos.



F. H. CARROLL.

GAS CONTROL FOR AUTOS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3. 1915. IIENEWED AUG. 3o. 1917.

l 268,2 l 4. Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. H. CARROLL.

GAS CONTROL FOR AUTOS.

APPLICATION HLED 0m13.191s. RENEWED Aue.so.1917.

1.26,@ l 4.. Pat'ntedjune 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. d *i* 1' L Il E neeaeia.

- iti FRANK H. CARROLL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GA CONTROL FOB AUTOS.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented J une d, 191e..

Application :tiled December 13, 1815, Serial :Na-66,626. Renewed August 30, 1917. Serial No. 189,043.

Zh a?! lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. CAnnoLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new. and useful Improvements in Gas Controls for Autos, of which the following is a speciiication. l

In driving heavy gas engine` propelled vehicles such as taxi-cabs, auto trucks and the like which are equipped with a hand throttle for regulating the iiow of gas to the engine, and a hand or foot brake actuating lever, serious diiiculty is presented 1n quickly slowing down or starting the vehicle, as a simultaneous manipulation ofthe throttle and brake is necessary. This is particularly objectionable in driving the vehicle through heavy traffic where the attention of the driver is largely directed to steering the vehicle and avoiding trafic which sometimes results in such improper operation of the throttle and brake either in 'starting 4or stopping the vehicle as to overload the engine and thereby cause it to stall.

It is the object of my invention to provide means coperatin with the brake lever whereby application o? the brakes will automatically diminish the gas supply to theengine and a release of the brakes will increase the iiow of as to the engine. l'

Another o ject is to provide a device of lthe above character which will operate independent of the ordinary throttle mechanism or accelerators.

Another object is to provide a gas control mechanism of this nature which, on applying and releasing the brakes, will govern the How lof gas to the engine according to the position of the throttle lever, that is to say, when the throttle is partlyopened on applying the brakes the gas will be out of to the point set in a 'carbureter adjustment which 1s suicient to operate the engine idly but which on the release of the brakes will gradually feed the gas from its minimum supply up to the volume governed by the previously set throttle lever. v

Another object of the invention is to provide anauxiliary gas control having adjustable means to determine and fix the degree to which the gas is diminished when the foot brakes are applied, thus making it possible to 'set the device for work in crowded streets or for such contingencies as arise on passin vehicles on country roads where the speeg limit is higher.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary gas control connected to the foot brake lever and havin pivoted arms cooperating with the thrott e controlled mechanism to operate sameA independently of the throttle lever, said arms being governed in their movements by an eccentric connected to the foot brake. v With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my auxiliary gas control in position on a machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedside elevation of my auxiliary gas control.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of a gas controlling mechanism and illustrating the connection therewith of two pivoted armsfforming a part of my invention.V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the eccentric slide plate and parts immediately associatedtherewith.

Fig. 5 is a section on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the slide plate to which one of the arms is pivoted and the eccentric which determines the limit of movement of the slide plate in one direction.

Fig. 7 is a section on the plane of line 7--7 of Fig. e.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a steerin wheel showing the hand controlled thrott e lever and quadrant therefor.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the eccentric which controls the movement of the slide plite toward the first-mentioned eccentric, an

Fig. 10 is a section on the plane of line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals, 12 designates the frame of an automobile, 13 the manifold and 14 the carbureter of the machine. A steering column 15 carries the steering wheel 16 and extends through the foot board 17 as shown.

The stock or standard gas control mechanism of the car comprises a throttle lever 18 moving over a toothed quadrant 19 and connected to a shaft 2O extending through the steering column 415. A crank 21 connects the lower end of the shaft to the verti cally movable throttle controlled rod 22 which has a loosely fitting sleeve or washer 23 to engage under the forked end of the lever 24 and hold the same against downward movement except as the rod 22 moves downwardly under action of lever 46 as will be explained. The lever 24 is provided with a stud 25 which ts within the slot 26 of the sleeve or socket 27 connected to the rod 28. The upper end of the rod 28 is connected by a pin 29 to theI arm 30 of a crank 31. This crank is provided with an arm 32 projecting at right angles to the arm 30 from the upper edge thereof near one end and said arm 32 is formed on its free terminal with the spaced upstanding ears 33. A valve rod 34 is rigidly secured to the crank 31 at the osition shown in Fig. 3 and when this ro is turned the valve of the carbureter governing the flow of gas is operated.

rlhe standard foot acceleratlng mechanism which I have shown consists of an accelerator pedal 35 having connected thereto a washer 39 which bears against the edges of the ears 33.

Brieiy, the operation of the throttle mechanism and accelerator mechanism just described is as follows: When the throttle lever 18 is swun in one direction to decrease the speed o the car, the rod 22 moves downwardly, allowing the forward end of the lever 24 to swing upwardly, turning the crank 31 which rotates the valve controlling rod 34 to diminish the supply of gas passing through the carbureter to the engine. It will be understood that the expansive spring 37 by pressing against the ears 334 has a tendency to raise the inner end of the arm 30. When the accelerator pedal in pressed, the rod 36 is moved rearwardly allowing the crank 31 to turn the rod 34 to increase the supply of gas.

In adapting and applying my auxiliary gas control to a machine having the features described, ll provide a base plate 40 rigidly connected to any suitable part of the car, such as the carbureter 14 and the body, as shown. A block 41 is slidably mounted within an opening 42 inthe plate 40 and this block is formed of two pieces clamped together by the fasteners 43 which overlap the base plate 40 adjacent the sides of the opening 42 as shown in Fig. 7.

A lever arm 44 is pivotally secured at one end to the block 41 by a bolt 45, and exiaeaaia y tends toward the rod 22 havin its forward end bifurcated to embrace sai rod, as seen in Fig. 3. A second arm 46 is pivotally secured to the base plate 40 by means, of a bolt47 as seen in Fig. 2. This arm is similar in construction to the lever arm 44 and operates directly above said lever arm in spaced. relation thereto. 'The forward end of the arm 46 embraces the rod 22-above the nuts 48. A link 49 is pivotally connected y@ at its ends to said arms forming a connection therebetweenI and byv which a fulcrum support is provided for the lever arm.

'll`o limit the upward movement of the block 41, l provide an adjustable stop in the form of an eccentric disk 50 pivotally connected to the plate 40 by a bolt 51l and arranged between the pivted ends of the arms 44 and 46.A This eccentric disk may be held in various positions by means of a plate 52 adapted to frictionally engage a projection 53 formed on the edge of the disk, as shown in Fig. 6; the plate 52 being held in engagement with the projection 53 by screws 52'. I

'llo control the movement of the block 41 as 1t approaches the disk 50 and thereby effeet a rocking movement of the arm 44 on its pivotal connection with the link 49 ll provide an eccentric 54 pivotally mounted on the bolt 51 in front of the disk 50. The eccentric 54 carries a pivoted segment 55 which may be adjusted to change the throw of the eccentric as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The segment is adjustably secured in position and is held against lateral movement by side plates 57 which overlap the body of the eccentric 54 and is so positioned-thatits outer arcuate face at its pivoted endiwill be in continuation ofthe perimeter of the eccentric when the segment is positioned within the marginal edge of the eccentric as illustrated in Fig. 4. One of these-side plates is slotted to form'A a passage forthe screw 58 which threads into the eccentric.

The segment is arranged to extendv intoa recess 59 in the eccentric and is lockedr in its adjusted position by tightening the screw 58. The lower edge ofthe eccentric and the segment thereon contact with a roller 60 mounted on the bolt 45. thus forming a roller bearing between the eccentric and the sliding block. Thisroller ismaintained in contact with the eccentric and segment b v the upward pressure exerted thereon by the inner end of the lever arm 44, the outer end of which is weighted by the stem 22.

An adjustable connecting bar 61 is connected atl one end to the foot brake lever 62 and at its other end by a pin and slot connection 63 to the eccentric 54. A contact springr 64 is secured by a link 65 to the ec- 1,2ee,a14

the arm 46 at the oint of-connection of the link 49 to normally exert a pull on the eccentric and serves to advance the'latter on ras "the carbureter.

lforward movement. of the brake controlled ar 61.

When it is desired to quickly slow down the' car, the foot brake lever is pushed forwardly which applies thebrakes and simultaneously diminishes the gas supply irrespective of the position of the throttle lever 18 on the hand wheel. The latter action is accomplished as follows: The bar 6'1 in its forward movement allows the coiled spring 64 to turn the cam or eccentric 54. The eccentric is so proportioned that as it turns in a counter-clockwise direction under the inyluenc/e of the spring 64 it will allowthe block 41 to slide upwardly; the lforward end of the lever arm 44 swinging downwardly, by the motion of the spring 37 which raises `the rod 28 through the crank 3l and de-v presses the forked end of the lever 24, causing a pressure to be brought to bear on the bifurcated end of the arm 44.` Now as the bifurcated end of the arm 44 slides downwardly, this movement being permitted by the rotation of the eccentric 54, the rod 28 nieves upwardly turning the valve controlling rod 34 through the medium of the crank 31 to diminish the gas supply. As before mentioned, the eccentric 50 may be set to determine the limit of the upwardl movement of the slide block 41 so that lthere will be no 'possibility of stalling the engine by completely cutting off the supply of gas no matter how far the eccentric 54 is rotated.

By providing the pin and slot connection between the bar 61 and the eccentric, the bar may have a lost motion at the outer end of its stroke to prevent strain being imposed on the eccentric in event of excessive throw of the foot lever.

As a means for limiting the` forward turning movement of the eccentric and for preventing the outer end of the bar 61 from passing below the horizontal center of the eccentric, the bolt 51 is arranged to project beyond the outer face of the eccentric beneath the overthrow path of travel of the bar to form a stop.

On retracting the foot lever to release the vehicle brakes, the bar 61 will be retracted and the outer end ofthe slot therein will engage the pin of the pin and slot connections 63 and retract the eccentric to its normal position in opposition to the spring 64. The eccentric will then operate to depress the block 4l and operate the lever arm 44, lever 24 and rod 28 to rock the arm 30 in such direct-ion as to feed more gas through The extent of' opening of the carbureter valve by the action of the lever 44 will be governed by the position at which the carbureter valve is set by the throttle lever`18 so that when the brakes are -fully released the same volume of 'gas will be delivered to the engine as was being' delivered thereto prior to the application fof the brakes unless the throttle lever be adjusted to another position in the meantime.

In the event of retraction of the brake lever gas delivered to the engine ward movement of the arm 46'is transmittedv through the link 49 to the lever arm 44 which engages the sleeve 23 and rocks the lever 24-'to increase the feed of gas, as before described. Assuming the throttle lever 18 to be advanced from its retarded position to an intermediate position, as shown in' full lines in Fig. 8, the arm 46and ,lever arm 44 will then be disposed in a slightlyl elevated position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. IWhen thus disposed, a down* ward pressure on the outer end of the arm 44 will be exerted by the lever 24. Now in operation of the eccentric, as before described, to dispose the inner end of the lever arm 44 in the depressed peripheral portion of the eccentric, the lever'arm 44 will rock to lower its outer end thus permitting the sleeve 23 and the end of the lever 24 supported thereon to move downwardly and thereby cut oil' the supply of gas according to the-extent of advance movement of the brake lever and the downward movement of the outer end of the lever arm 44 and the rod 22 will be maintained in its elevated position by the engagement of the throttle arm on the toothed quadrant 19.

If the brake lever be advanced far to permit the eccentric to move to its limit the outer end of the lever arm 44 will drop to its lowermost position thereby cutting olf the gas supply to the point of the carbureter adjustment which is suiiicient to maintain the engine running idle. The extent to which the gas is cut olf may also be adjusted by means of the disk 50 as before described.

The disk 50 also serves as a means for adjusting the extent or zone of operation of the automatic gas controlling device, it being desirable that where the throttle lever is advanced to a high speed position that application of the brakes will not operate to cut olf the gas supply to its minimum. For example, assume that the throttle lever be disposed in the intermediate osition indica-ted by the dotted line in ig. 8 and that the disk 50'be vadjusted to limit the suiiiciently lll upward movement of the block so that on application of the brakes with the throttle lever disposed as just stated, the brake gas control will operate to reduce the gas flow the same as if the throttle lever was moved from this intermediate position to its innerinostmormal position. This represents the range of influence of the gas control mechanisni. Now assume that the throttle leve'.` be advanced to a point beyond that. indicated by the line a such as indicated by the line b. Depression of the brake lever will then operate as before described but will only reduce the flow of gas to an amount corresponding to that which would be effected by moving the throttle lever from the position indicated at Z; back to the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 9, thus not cutting off the supply of gas to its minimum. By this arrangement the speed of the vehicle would be reduced on the application of the brakes from a high speed to a slow speed without operating the throttle lever and if it then be desired to further retard the movement of the vehicle or bring it to a stop, it will be necessary to retract the gas control lever to the position indicated by the line a. On thereafter releasin the foot lever the gas would be fed in a vo ume which would ordinarily be eected with the throttle lever in the position just referred to.

It will be seen that the parts are so constructed and arranged that the accelerator may be operated irrespective of the position of the throttle or the automatic gas controlling mechanism. l

While I have shown and described the invention specifically, it is manifest that it is subject to modification and to various alterations and it is understood that saine can be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a gas feed valve, and a brake lever of an automobile, of means connected to the brake lever to move the valve toward its closed osition when open, and means for regulating the extent of closure ofthe valve by the brake lever operating means.

2. The combination withl a gas feed valve, a throttle lever for opening and closing the same, and a brake lever of an automobile, of means connected to the brake lever operable independent of the throttle lever to move the valve toward its closed position when open, irrespective of the position lof the throttle lever, and means for regulatingl the extent of closure of the valve by the brake lever operating means.

3. The combination with a gas feed valve, a throttle lever for opening and closing the same, and a brake operating lever, of an mesma auxiliary gas valve controlling mechanism connected to the brake lever and operating inde endently of the throttle lever, auxi 'ary mechanism including an eccentric mechanism adapted to be operated by the eccentric for actuating the gas feed valve, and means whereby movement of the brake lever in applying the brakes will operate the' eccentric to diminish the How of gas throu h the valve.

4. n a as control mechanism, the combination o a valve controlling rod, a throttle lever, a throttle, a rod adapted to be reciprocated by said throttle,'a pair of connected lever arms, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the throttle controlled rod, connections between the other lever and the valve con-trolling rod, a brake lever, and means operated by said brake lever for rocking the lever arm connected with the valve controlling rod "to actuate the latter independent 'of the throttle controlled rod.

5. In a gas control mechanism, the combination of a valve controlling rod a throttle lever, a throttle, a rod adapted to be reciprocated by said throttle, apair of connected lever arms, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the throttle controlled rod, connections between the other lever and the valve controlling rod, a brake lever, means operated by said brake lever for rocking the lever arm connected with the valve controlling rod to actuate the latter independent of the throttle controlled rod andmeans for adjusting the throw of said lever operating means. i

6. In a gas control mechanism, the combination of a valve controlling rod, a throttle lever, a throttle, a rod adapted to be reciprocated by said throttle, a pair of connected lever arms, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the throttle controlled rod, connections between the other lever and the valve controlling rod, a brake lever, an eccentric disk arranged to engage the lever arm connected to the valve controlling rod, and means controlled by said brakev lever for actuating said eccentric disk to operate the valve controlling rod independent of the throttle controlled rod.

7. In a gas control mechanism, the combination of a valve controlling rod, a throttle lever, a throttle, a rod adapted to be reciprocated by said throttle, a pair of connected lever arms, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the throttle controlled rod, connections between the other lever and the valve controlling rod, a brake lever, an eccentric disk arranged to engage the lever arm connected to the valve controlling rod, and means controlled by said brake lever for actuating said eccentric disk to operate the 1 the eccentric and a rod connecting the eccentric and brake lever to hold the eccentric in a retracted position when the brake lever is retracted.

8. A gas control mechanism, comprising a valve controlling rod, a throttle, a rod adapted to be reciprocated by said throttle, a pair of lever arms, a link connecting said arms, one of the arms being adapted to be engaged by the throttle controlled rod, connections between the other lever arm and the valve controlling rod whereby movement of the throttle controlled rod will actuate the valve controlling rod through the medium of the lever arms, a brake lever, and spring actuated means controlled by said brake lever for operating the valve controlling rod through its connected lever arm independent of the throttle controlled rod.

9. The combination with a gas feed valve, a throttle lever for controlling said valve and a brake lever, of means connected to the brake lever for effecting movement of the fuel supply valve, adjustable means for controlling the latitude of movement of the fuel supply valve irrespective of the extent of operation of the brake lever, and means for allowing the throttle lever unlimited control over the gas feed valve irrespective of the di osition of the brake lever.

l0. he combination with a gas feed valve, a throttle lever for. controlling said valve and a brake lever, of a brake lever actuating mechanism whereby the fuel valve may-be operated, adjustable means for limiting the openin of said valvel by the brake lever, other a justable means for limiting the closing movement of the feed valve by said brake lever, both of which limiting means act without restricting the movement of the brake lever, and means whereby the feed valve is adapted to be controlled by the throttle lever and unrestricted by the brake lever mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

FRANK H. CARROLL. 

